Our world today is a black velvet sky enwrapped in a blanket of glistening stars. Our world is often like a dark and somber night. However, stars offer a radiant glow to an otherwise gloomy, colorless sky. Stars illuminate a world of problems and confusion; Stars are like paint in a world that is void of vivid, vibrant color. Religions are like stars in this way. Religion can add color to a life when it is merely a barren, crisp slice of paper. Religion is a refuge or escape for those trapped in a web of darkness. Religion is a warm blanket of stars for the countless shivering, afraid people in our world.

Stars are like maps for lost sailors who are voyaging remote and unfamiliar waters. Religion is the map for sailing through the waters of life and for eventually arriving at a destination. This destination is either heaven or hell in many religions, especially in Christianity and Islam. In addition, Hinduism and Buddhism share a similar belief or goal which is to reach paradise and attain a perfect understanding of the universe in an afterlife. However, the belief of the existence of a hell is not present in these two religions. People who practice Buddhism and Hinduism believe instead that a person’s soul will be reincarnated or reborn until enlightenment (in Buddhism) and moksha (in Hinduism) is achieved. Realizing the connections and recognizing similarities between religions are the bricks to constructing a towering building of religious tolerance.

The journey traveled to reach a destination is equally vital to the destination itself. People often base their guidelines or life routes on their religious beliefs. Most religions are unified in their basic moral principles. For example, Jews follow the Ten Commandments and The Bible, Buddhists follow the Eightfold Path, Hindus follow Dharma, Islamists follow the Five Pillars of Islam, and Christians follow The Bible. However, several major ethics are common throughout each of these religions. These moral principals typically include being an upstanding citizen, trying to help others and refraining from committing crimes such as theft and homicide. Consequently, religion aids the development of a functioning and thriving society.

In conclusion, for those who believe, religion can be a beaming, blazing torch of hope in a bleak life deprived of light. Having a god or several to pray to and turn to for assistance can be the motivation required to endure living in the darkest corners of our world. All religions share this crucial commonality. This commonality is having a reason to sustain and persevere the hardships of our voyage. Almost all religions offer an outstretched hand to hold throughout life.